Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.
Prudence Crandell was teacher in the 1830’s. Raised in a Quaker family, in 1831 she started a girls’ school, originally for the children of wealthy townspeople in Canterbury, Connecticut. She admitted an African American girl and after pressure to expel her from the white parents, she opted instead to open a school for African American girls. Pretty gutsy to educate girls. And African Americans. And to defy the request to expel and instead open another school!
Unfortunately hatred persisted. The townspeople threatened to close and even destroy her new school. Hatred persisted, and the Legislature enacted a law effectively making her a criminal for continuing her school. Which she did anyway. She was arrested, tried and jailed, although a higher court reversed the decision. Things didn’t get better, and fearing for her students’ safety, she closed the school, just a year after it opened. Today, she is official state heroine of Connecticut.
Despite a great deal of trial and tribulation, she persisted. And with just one year of very public ministry, she changed things. I can imagine that having to close her school a year after opening it felt like absolute failure. Getting thrown in jail felt like failure. But she continued to do the right thing, even in the midst of all her problems. Even as her fellow townspeople wanted to destroy her school. Even as a state law was enacted precisely to affect her, and she was jailed. Even as her school was closed.
The reading from Habakkuk is this beautiful bit about all the things that can go wrong. In the time of the writer, the things it mentions are probably life or death. Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vine. Though the olive fails, and the fields produce no food. Yet I will rejoice.
Unfortunately hatred persisted. The townspeople threatened to close and even destroy her new school. Hatred persisted, and the Legislature enacted a law effectively making her a criminal for continuing her school. Which she did anyway. She was arrested, tried and jailed, although a higher court reversed the decision. Things didn’t get better, and fearing for her students’ safety, she closed the school, just a year after it opened. Today, she is official state heroine of Connecticut.
Despite a great deal of trial and tribulation, she persisted. And with just one year of very public ministry, she changed things. I can imagine that having to close her school a year after opening it felt like absolute failure. Getting thrown in jail felt like failure. But she continued to do the right thing, even in the midst of all her problems. Even as her fellow townspeople wanted to destroy her school. Even as a state law was enacted precisely to affect her, and she was jailed. Even as her school was closed.
The reading from Habakkuk is this beautiful bit about all the things that can go wrong. In the time of the writer, the things it mentions are probably life or death. Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vine. Though the olive fails, and the fields produce no food. Yet I will rejoice.
It makes no sense, that someone would rejoice, in the midst of crop failure, and hunger, and racial hatred. In the midst of my minor drama, I want to be that person who persists. Regardless of how long or how visible my good deeds are seen.
This morning, I’m thinking about all of the courage, persistence and faith Prudence Crandell must have had, to continue to do God’s work despite the trials. Today, I aim to keep those words close to my heart and lips – Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.
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